There was always that moment in a movie where the spotlights shone a little brighter, the characters acted more impulsively and intensely, tension stretching heavy until it reached the point where even a single breath felt too overwhelming to take. That was what I was confronted with once the front door slammed shut behind me.

The lights which hung up around the porch were dull, crickets chirped noisily in the background, the night air lucked any form of zing to bring the electrifying feeling you'd expect. It didn't physically live up to any of those serene atmospheres, but it far surpassed them in so many other ways.

Parker stood with both his hands crossed, a crooked smile adorning his face. "I like the outfit, Mystery," he said, eyes traveling from the bedhead mess of curls on my head, down to the Pikachu-themed slippers on my feet. "It's barely there, but it's a great look. Not complaining at all."

His comment made me glance down at myself, suddenly noticing how short the shorts were... and how I wasn't wearing a shirt. I knew I forgot something during the rush to come outside. I brushed all that aside and went straight for it, even though I could feel heat prick at my face. "How did you know---it was Laura, wasn't it?"

"Laura knew?" He sounded surprised, his hands dropping to his sides. I saw the distinct trail of one black line on his arm, before the rest melted into shadows.

"Wait, that wasn't what she told you in the library?"

"Not at all. She was asking about my breakup with Isa---oh." He burst out into laughter, leaning against the balustrade. "Now that I think about it, she asked because you told her it was a deal, didn't you?"

"Um, yes." I scratched at my arm, walking past him to sit on the highest step. "Then how did you know?

"I found out it was you during the presentation, Adrián." He perched next to me, looking at me as he said, "You sent me a photo of your project, remember? I recognised a couple of paragraphs when you were talking, and a lot of things clicked."

"All this while..."

"All this while," he echoed.

I picked up a blade of grass that laid on the step and wrapped it around my little finger. "Then why were you looking at me like I'd done something wrong?"

Parker sucked in a breath, rubbing the back of his neck. "Ah, yes, that. I can't tell you how sorry I still am about the whole thing. When I first realized it was you, I was overjoyed. But then I recalled what happened in the hallway and how much pressure I must have put on you with my stunt. Had a big 'oh shit' moment in my head, because I knew then you didn't stay away when I was looking for you, you just didn't step forward. I didn't intend to ever out you, I just hadn't consider the possibility that it might cause damage. And when Isabella claimed it was her, I---"

"You thought that was the truth," I finished for him.

"Yeah, at that moment. You know how the rest of that story turned out," he said with a laugh. "Although, I'm kinda glad you weren't Isabella. I've never really been into girls. I like guys."

I rested my chin on my folded arms after flicking the grass onto the lawn, staring ahead of me. "So that makes you gay?"

"It does," Parker replied. "But I'm still not a boy, though. It's kinda complicated to explain, but sexual preferences---"

"You don't have to explain yourself, Parker. I get you, I understand."

We sat in silence after that, and I rested my head on my knees, revelling in the image of us being only two people in the universe.

There was a scenic peace between us, blending in sync with every breath both of us gifted into the night.

Parker caught a tuft of my hair between his fingers, face breaking into a smile. "It's way softer than I imagined." Memories of a time when I gave him clues about my identity resurfaced.

I angled my head towards him before reaching for his hand, flipping his wrist over. Etched into his skin were the letters which formed the word Parker said we were. Art.

The pads of my fingers danced over the calligraphic font of the soulful black letters, and his eyes followed the deliberate steps. "It's way prettier than I imagined," I murmured, as I bent my head to kiss the tattoo.

He shuddered when my tongue grazed his skin, eyes shutting for a second. "This... this was why the marker was there, wasn't it?"

I nodded.

A creak came from behind, and my head whipped backwards in time to catch the paws that peeked out in the space between the door and the doorway. It was only Jellybean.

With more grace and poise than I could only hope to pull off, Jellybean moved up to Parker, watched him for a moment, then blinked.

He blinked back. I stared.

"It's the equivalent of a kiss," Parker explained, even though I hadn't said a single word. "That's how cats do it."

"By eyeing you as if they hate you?"

"To each their own."

Jellybean walked up to me, and I mimicked Parker's action. I received a cat kiss too, before she lay on the step my feet rested on, curling into a dull orange ball of fuzz.

"Hey, Adrián?"

I turned in time to catch the dip and rise of Parker's throat as he swallowed, face clouding when he finally looked up from where our bodies still touched. I hadn't let go of him even though I no longer run my fingers on the tattoo. I still didn't let go; not when it felt this nice to hold his hand.

"Yeah, Parker?"

"Remember all the times I told you I wanted to kiss you?"

Remember? I lived those times every day. Long before it reached my consciousness, I had dreamed of what kisses from Parker would taste and feel like. "I do," I said.

"I meant them. All of them. But not as much as I do when I say it now." A pause. Voice a melody, barely above a whisper, Parker breathed out, "I want to kiss you."

It was my turn to breathe with the bowing blades of grass. "I deflected or played off your words whenever you told me that, but I wanted to tell you yes. Every single time. I just felt guilty because you didn't know me. It was like I was cheating you or something," I admitted, looking away.

"Cheating? But I know who you are."

"You know Mystery, not me."

"Is there a difference?"

"Yes," I told him. Mystery doesn't panic as often as I do. Or have to hide. Mystery doesn't cower in front of a class he's known for over a year just because one particular person looks at him differently once. Mystery doesn't spend nights crying, thinking he's wrong for being who he is, wishing he was the made-up persona he shadowed."

His eyebrows furrowed, and his gaze turned stern. "Parker doesn't drink. Parker doesn't have a tattoo. Parker doesn't stand in the middle of halls and desperately tries to fish out someone he likes. But I did all those, Adrián, things that are not typical to me." Voice falling a softer intonation, he added, "Even right now, in the middle of the night, I came all this way just to see you. It's something entirely new, so very peculiar from things I've done. Does that make me any different?"

"You're the same."

"So are you. Whether Mystery or Adrián or the love of my fucking life, you're still you. And I'll have you no other way."

I leaned close to Parker, until I could feel the distinct fan of his breath on my face, until my eyes fell shut and Parker's breath hitched.

I couldn't really recall who made the move---whether it was I who leaned in, or whether Parker was the one to close the distance between us---but our lips touched and the entire galaxy crumbled. With the softest brushing of his mouth against mine, the lightest coaxing of his tongue for me to let go of myself, I fell deep.

Parker Thompson was kissing me. I was kissing Parker Thompson. And he tasted of minty toothpaste and lucid dreams. This was real, it was all really happening.

And as if his thoughts matched mine, as if he was unsure as I was, he touched me. Parker buried his hands in my curls and tugged on the strands to make sure I was really there, to make sure I still felt. And I let myself feel.

My fingers skimmed his face, following the smooth skin, mapping out the firm line of his jaw, rubbing his cheek softly, finding a resting place by cradling his head between my hands.

Parker smiled against my lips; I smiled back. Then we pulled apart, overwhelmed at the intensity of what one kiss had done to us. We were both out of breath, for God's sake.

He caught his first and mumbled, "That was... incredible."

"I should have let you know who I was sooner," I whispered, burying my face in the crook of his neck. He smelled nice, like summer warmth wrapped in winter coolness. Sun and snow. Parker and me---Mystery and Adrian, both sides in union.

"It's alright. This was worth it."

We kissed again. It was bolder, daring, capturing my breath in one swift swipe of his tongue at the seam of my lips. I pressed against him when his hands slid down my chest to grip my waist, his fingers digging into my skin, when I kissed too hard and fell too fast.

Our mouths didn't part until the laughter, which started as soon as I had caused him to fall back, became unbearable.

I laid on top of him, eyes shut, while I felt the rumble from within his chest as he spoke. "Is it weird that I don't want you to get up? Like, I would be completely satisfied if we stayed like this forever."

"It's not weird."

"Mmm," Parker hummed. A beat passed before he spoke again. "And is it weird if I tell you I love you? In that way?"

"In what way?"

"In the way where I want you. And I want this thing with you to last. It sounds silly, but I dunno how to put it into words which make more sense..."

"It's also not weird." I lifted myself off him, helping him sit back up once I was settled.

He patted himself off, stretching afterwards. "I wish we could go driving; just windows down, since we're late for the pink sunset."

I couldn't stop my smile when I realised it was an allusion to one of his playlists. "I'd love to, but I'm grounded right now. I shouldn't even be out here. Besides, I heard you crashed a car recently, having you behind the wheel doesn't feel very safe now." I made a face at him.

"Blasphemy." Parker pressed a dramatic hand to his, staring at me like I had said the worst possible thing. "I'll have you know I didn't crash. Isabella did that all by herself, thank you very much."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "I'll have to ask her then."

"Do whatever, but you have to make sure I see you at school tomorrow." He stood up, stretching a hand for me to grab onto. "Sleep well tonight," he said once I was on my feet, pulling me into an embrace.

"I know I will. And you'll most definitely see me."

"Promise," he whispered, pressing one of his own into my cheek.

"I promise." I kissed his cheek too, poking my tongue in a dimple right before I let go of him.

Parker descended the steps, stopping once he got to the sidewalk to shout, "You're not gonna pull another 'Oh so Mysterious' on me?"

"I'm not!" I yelled back at him. "Sincerely."

The End.

~~

An ending has never felt so perfect tbh😩 I honestly didn't see this book ending on any other note apart from this scene, but I wanna know what you guys think!!

Gigantic thank yous to all of you for following the journey of a chaotic teen, put into words by an even more chaotic teen writer♡♡

If you have any questions for me or any of the characters, drop them inline here ~>

Thanks again, and don't forget to drop Le Vote ☆

Once the ONC is over, I have plans to expand this book with the story being told from Parker's pov. More of Laura, Marie and Micky will be featured, as well as Parker's new found relationship with Adrián, and being his best self as they prepare for graduation and life after high school.
Follow me in order to get any updates on how the story will proceed. Thanks!❤